R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Rjtheweirdo, Sekou, Lazer Dim 700, Marlon Craft & More

Rising R&B singer-songwriter Rjtheweirdo recently signed with Create Music Group and EZMY, the Ty Dolla $ign co-founded label behind Leon Thomas’ Grammy-winning Mutt — and the first taste of his forthcoming debut EP is already a winner. Across “At Least She’s Beautiful,” which also serves as the EP’s title track, the Dallas native croons through the challenge of learning to love someone who is still learning to love themselves. “I know she’ll get a hang of it one of these days/ I know she’s not aware of what she’s doing/ Honesty is a trade that she still haven’t learned/ Especially with herself,” he croons in the outro over dry acoustic guitar and whirring synths that never quite release the tension they build throughout the song. — KYLE DENIS

Not sure if any of you have come across these videos of a black cat rapping Lazer Dim 700 songs, but I’ve been obsessed with them. “Up Rank” has been my favorite so far because I actually like this particular track, and I know that because I’ve been saying, “I’m back outside today” since I came across the cat video on IG Reels. — ANGEL DIAZ

NYC’s own Marlon Craft returned with his The Internet Killed the Neigborhood album. Some of Craft’s best rapping comes on the penultimate track, “Find Me,” which even finds him flexing a bit of his singing on the hook over smooth live instrumentation. The 33-year-old examines the political systems implemented to continue controlling the public as he watches the soul get zapped from his hometown. While Craft says TV shows and streaming services serve as temporary distractions, Craft admits he’s penning these poignant bars while lending energy to trivial things in life, like holding out hope for wins from his beloved New York Jets and Knicks. — MICHAEL SAPONARA

“Do It” is about giving in to desire, choosing intensity over hesitation, even when emotions and truth start to blur. From the jump, there’s a sense of acceleration, with lines like “foot on the gas” framing a connection that’s unfolding in real time. Written by S!MONE alongside Billy Blunt, who also handles production, “Do It” champions physical and emotional vulnerability in the way she invites her partner to be honest and let their guard down. The track captures the space between wanting something real and acknowledging its instability, ultimately leaning into that tension to embrace reckless intimacy. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON

British singer-songwriter Sekou played with Motown and soul-pop on November’s A World We Don’t Belong Pt. 1 mixtape, and he’s doubling down with his funky new “Dangerous Lover” single. Bridging elements of synth-pop, disco, and R&B, Sekou’s robust, chest-y voice reverberates across Cirkut and M-Phazes’ bass-driven soundscape with lyrics like, “It’s 2:00 a.m., and I’m waiting up for you/ If I want trouble, you’re really not hard to find/ Regret kicked in from the moment I called you.” Equal parts playful and cautious, Sekou casually dropped a springtime bop that can comfortably live on both R&B and pop playlists. — K.D.

Joy Postell is an example of how artists can do it all themselves thanks to the Internet. She not only wrote this groovy springtime tune — with Mighty Mark & Andrew Imanaka behind the boards — she also shot, directed, and edited this music video. Go to her YouTube and run it up because the Baltimore singer has been putting in quality work and deserves to be heard. — A.D.

Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y reunited, which means marijuana consumption increased across America to kick off April. The Taylor Gang-Jet Life combination teamed up for their Roofless Records for Droptops joint project last week. It’s the perfect late-night cruise music, as Wiz and Curren$y recruited frequent collaborator Cardo to lend a starry sonic canvas behind the boards. It feels like the trio’s been at it for decades, and the bar remains higher than Wiz’s kush intake. Take “Close Your Eyes” for a spin to kick off a 30-minute joy ride. — M.S.

TheARTI$T explores the frustration of unreciprocated love on “Why,” a track that captures the confusion and hurt of giving your all to someone who stops valuing it. Written by TheARTI$T (born Erica McCauley), with Damilola Bamtefa, Jones Stennett and Tyler Anthony, and produced by Jase, the track dives into the frustration and disbelief that love, once mutual, now feels one-sided. Loyalty and consistency weren’t matched, and the lack of honesty on the other side cuts deepest. “Why” is about emotional imbalance, the struggle to reconcile giving everything with being left behind, and the debilitating confusion that comes with unreciprocated love. — C.C.